Apologies
by witchychik42
Summary: Our favorite NCIS agents have a fight; when Ziva tries to fix things, she catches Tony with another woman. Things go downhill from there.


**Disclaimer: NCIS isn't mine people! Although... HOW AWESOME WOULD THAT BE!!!??? :D**

**A/N: This is my first fic, guys. Just something I thought of at like 10 at night a few days ago. I was listening to Relient K: Let it all out; it's kind of a sad song, for those of you that don't know it. So I wrote this. Hope you like it. One last thing: pretty pretty pretty please review!! I need the feedback to see if I should write more! :D 3**

**Apologies**

Ziva slid to the ground with her back against the front door of her apartment that she had just slammed shut. Tears streaked down her face as she finally broke down. She hated him! . . . No, that wasn't true; she loved him. With all her heart she loved him. But he didn't love her. He loved that woman, whoever she was. The girl at his apartment; the one who had answered the door in his shirt. She'd wanted to fix things with Tony; she'd wanted to end their fight. but he'd already moved on. Typical DiNozzo. Leave one girl, go to the next. She was angry at herself, she realized. How could she have fallen for him?

Well, it was over now. For good. They would be partners at work, and that would be all. Nothing more.

~*~ 2 weeks later ~*~

Tony was still kicking himself. Ziva had been avoiding him for two whole weeks. She'd talk to him only if it pertained to work, to keep Gibbs off their backs, but that was it. He couldn't get a word from her otherwise.

Stupid bar, stupid fight, stupid alcohol, stupid hooker... but most importantly, stupid him. How could he have done something like this to her, to his Ziva?

He had to go to her and fix it. He'd go over there tonight, apologize, and beg for her to forgive him. It could work...

Ziva continued to do her paperwork, ignoring his stares completely.

Yeah, it could work. Ha. It had about as much a chance as Gibbs never smacking him on the back of the head ever again.

'Ow!' he thought, flinching. 'Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.'

"What was that for, boss?" DiNozzo asked aloud. Gibbs leaned closer and whispered fiercely, but quietly so only Tony could hear.

"For whatever you did that made her look like that!" Gibbs hissed, frowning angrily.

Ziva continued to work silently, ignoring everyone; her face was void of all emotion. As much as she tried to keep it hidden, Tony could still see one small tear escape and slide gently down her face. Only one, but it was one more than Tony could handle. He'd caused this. He'd hurt her. And he'd have to fix it; soon.

~*~ Later that night ~*~

*Knock, knock, knock* Ziva walked from her sofa and opened the door. Tony stood there with a single red rose in his hand. She made to slam the door in his face, but Tony stuck his hand out to catch it before it closed.

"What do you want, DiNozzo?" Ziva spat angrily.

"Ziva, please let me come in. I have a lot to say, and I really don't want your entire hallway to hear it," Tony pleaded desperately.

She relented reluctantly. "Fine. But do not get comfortable."

She left him standing in the doorway and walked back to the couch. He entered her apartment and put the rose in empty glass on the counter. He filled the glass with water, and then walked over to sit next to her on the couch. She wouldn't let him sit there, so he chose the chair opposite the couch on the other side of the table.

"Ziva, I don't even know where to begin. I-" he started.

"Tony! You know what you did, so say it, apologize, and leave!" she cut him off.

"Ziva... I'm so sorry. I wish I could take it all back, and never sleep with her. But-"

"'But' nothing, Tony! You went off and slept with another woman, after I told you I loved you! You never even said it back! Are you really that scared of commitment?"

"But Ziva, I do-"

"Save it Tony. I do not want to hear it now. How can I trust that you mean it, that you are not just saying it to win me back? How can I trust you?"

That stung Tony more than it would have if she'd have just hit him. She didn't trust him anymore. He fell silent.

"Tony," she said, her voice lowering, "I accept your apology, and maybe I will forgive you. But it will definitely be a while before I can trust you again. Until then, we are partners at work, and nothing more. Now, please leave."

She stood, and started to walk to the kitchen. Tony stood, also. Her back was to him, she was facing the front door, so she didn't see him place the box on her coffee table.

Ziva held the door open for him and waited for him to leave.

"Ziva, I-" he started softly.

"Goodbye, Tony." Ziva cut him off just as quietly, barely managing to hold in the tears. She cast her eyes to the floor, not able to bear the pain in his eyes and the hurt on his face. Tony left, and she slowly closed the door.

Ziva walked to her bedroom, and fell onto the bed. Fully clothed, she cried herself to sleep.

~*~ 3 days later ~*~

Things had turned almost back to normal at NCIS. McGee was still a geek, Abby was still her crazy over-caffeinated self, everyone was still the same; save two members of the team.

Tony and Ziva spoke only about the cases, which made for quiet days when there was only paperwork. They acted normal around their coworkers, but if Gibbs put them together on a case... silence. Even Abby had quit trying to play matchmaker and fix their relationship.

For 3 days after Tony apologized he had been trying to think of some way to fix things with Ziva. He wracked his brain, but he couldn't think of anything that would work.

Ziva, on the other hand, was losing hope. She had forgiven him the minute he'd finished his apology. But she was still so scared that he would hurt her again, she couldn't ask for him back.

She finished her paperwork, handed it to Gibbs, and wordlessly walked to the elevator to go home. The pelting rain outside matched her mood and the tears were threatening to spill.

What hurt her most was that, for the third day in a row, he didn't follow her.

~*~

She threw her keys on the counter when she got home, then collapsed. That's when she saw the box on the table. Upon opening the lid, her breath caught in her throat.

Inside was the most beautiful necklace she'd ever seen. A slim gold chain held a simple heart-shaped locket. Her trembling fingers traced the Star of David on the front before she opened it. Instead of a picture, she found a slip of paper with just a few short lines:

_'Ziva,_

_I love you more than anything in this world. I've apologized; maybe one day you can forgive me and trust me again. My heart is yours._

_With love,_

_Tony'_

She had to squint to read the writing, but once she read it, the tears flowed freely. She put the necklace on, her hands still trembling, and ran to the door, grabbing her keys off the counter on the way. She had to see him, go to him, and love him again.

She pulled open the door and froze. There he stood before her, one hand raised, ready to knock. Tony was sopping wet, his hair plastered on his face. He looked like he'd jumped into a swimming pool fully clothed.

"Tony! What-"

"I ran here from my apartment; my car ran out of gas," Tony explained between gasping breaths. "Ziva please, I'm so, so sorry, I-"

"Shh," she said softly, putting a finger on his lips. He came after her; that and the note in the locket made her mind up for her. It didn't matter that he was soaking wet and dripping in the entrance to her apartment. He was here, he had come to her; it was enough. "I know," she whispered.

With that, she leaned forward and stood on tips of her toes to close the gap between them. She smiled as his lips finally met hers.

~*~


End file.
